In an effort to resuscitate some version of the House climate change bill in the Senate, the Connecticut independent is trying to get Republicans and moderate Democrats on board by adding money for coal power and nuclear plants — changes that would infuriate many of the bill’s liberal supporters.

“I don’t think we’re going to [pass a bill] without bipartisan support,” Lieberman told POLITICO last week. “And without a nuclear title that’s stronger than in the House climate change legislation, we’re not going to be able to get enough votes to pass climate change.”

Lieberman’s staff has been meeting quietly with staffers for well over than a dozen senators on both sides of the aisle to draft provisions that would increase funding for coal and nuclear power plants.

Republican participants in the bipartisan group include aides to Lieberman’s 2008 traveling companions, McCain and Sen. Lindsay Graham of South Carolina, as well as those of Sens. George Voinovich of Ohio, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Richard Burr of North Carolina — all of whom have harshly criticized the climate bill that passed the House in late June.

Lieberman believes that including greater funding for coal and nuclear energy could make the bill more attractive to Republicans and conservative Democrats. The Republicans in his group agree — but some say that increasing support for nuclear power is unlikely to be enough to win their votes.

“There are a lot of things that keep you from having a bipartisan bill,” said Burr. “The bill is flawed, and the way, at least, it will be implemented picks winners and losers state to state.”

But Lieberman risks losing the support of some more liberal Democrats’ if he proposes wholesale changes in the bill.

Coal and nuclear plants are reviled by many environmentalists, who see them as dangerous and dirty sources of power.

“There is potentially a limited role for nuclear but nothing like the Republicans want to do,” said Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio).

Lieberman’s efforts mark the fifth time he’s tried to get a climate bill through Congress. But this time, he has to call the plays from the sidelines.